Short Summary

AT LEAST TEN PEOPLE WERE INJURED YESTERDAY (MONDAY) IN SKIRMISHES BETWEEN DEMONSTRATORS AND AMERICAN SERVICEMEN IN THE OKINAWA CAPITAL OF NAHA, AS SOME THIRTY-THOUSAND EMPLOYEES AT U.

Description

AT LEAST TEN PEOPLE WERE INJURED YESTERDAY (MONDAY) IN SKIRMISHES BETWEEN DEMONSTRATORS AND AMERICAN SERVICEMEN IN THE OKINAWA CAPITAL OF NAHA, AS SOME THIRTY-THOUSAND EMPLOYEES AT U.S. MILITARY BASES LAUNCHED A FIVE-DAY PROTEST STRIKE.

ALTHOUGH THE MAJOR DEMONSTRATION CENTRED ON NAHA, CLASHES OCCURRED AT SEVERAL POINTS ON THE STRATEGIC PACIFIC ISLAND -- AMERICAN-HELD SINCE THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR -- AND DUE TO BE RETURNED TO JAPAN IN NINETEEN-SEVENTY-TWO.

THE ALL-OKINAWA MILITARY WORKERS UNION WHICH CALLED THE STOPPAGE IN PROTEST AGAINST PLANS TO DISMISS ELEVEN-HUNDRED WORKERS IN A COST-SAVING MOVE, STATIONED PICKETS AT MORE THAN A HUNDRED MILITARY INSTALLATIONS.

ALTHOUGH U.S. MILITARY POLICE WEARING STEEL HELMETS AND ARMED WITH RIFLES GUARDED THE ENTRANCES TO THE BASES, ABOUT THIRTY MILITANT STUDENTS FORCED THEIR WAY INTO ONE BASE BUT WERE QUICKLY EJECTED.

THE STRIKE IS THE SECOND SINCE CHRISTMAS AND U.S. TROOPS ARE NOW ON TWENTY-FOUR-HOUR ALERT AND SECURITY HAS BEEN TIGHTENED IN CASE THE SITUATION GETS OUT OF HAND.